Warriors of Brickstone
by Carol And Nella
Summary: Warrior cats in the forest are living in relative peace, struggling through the last remnants of winter and awaiting for the arrival of spring. But with in twoleg place, the stray rogues and loners who live among aggressive kittypets, dogs and monsters, peace is far from they're minds. How long can the rogues survive? Only time will tell.
1. Prologue

_**Prologue**_

Cloudykit followed her brother, Wrenkit up through the prickly tunnel, trailing behind the solid black figure of their mother. It was drizzling gently, lacing each leaf and blade of grass with a fresh, clean tang, but it was warm enough for each kit to buzz with curiosity as they made their way out into the forest. They had not been outside the camp before, being the only kits in the camp aside from their three newest denmates, Littlekit, Rainkit and Beetlekit. They were too young to play, and their mother had asked Cloudykit's mother to take Wrenkit and herself outside for a while that morning. Cloudykit's father had suggested that they should see the outside entrance to the camp. "It's sheltered enough to keep them safe." He had reassured his mate, as she gave him a doubtful look. "Remember what happened to us?" He had pressed, a glint of amusement in his eyes, "We were bored to death and broke the rules back then. We can avoid that with our kits if we give them the space they need."  
"That was your fault by the way." Mother had retorted cheekily, "Not _'us'_ in any sort." She had given her kits a long look, then nodded, "Only for a little while," She decided, "But no longer then that."

And so here they were, out on an adventure to investigate the camp from the outside. Cloudykit gazed up wide eyed at the forest around them, her breath catching in her throat. "It's so much bigger then I thought it was." She whispered, stretching her head back to gaze up at the tops of the trees. She felt tiny and vanurable out in the shallow clearing, enclosed by boulders and trailing thorn bushes. Small pebbles and grainy earth felt coarse and hard beneath her pads, damp with rain water, while the scraggly grass forcing it's way out in between them looked droopy. Farther up the slope, the rest of the forest grew more vigorously, lost in gloomy undergrowth and densely growing trees. Wrenkit was stalking a beetle, dabbing it experimentally with an outstretched paw. "Everything is so huge!" He agreed, whirling around as a small bird over head clattered up into one of the sturdy elms. Mother sat on a stump nearby, watching with half closed eyes. She murred in amusement as Wrenkit tripped on a twig, swinging around to attack it feircely. "Show that Riverclan intruder no merci," Mother encouraged, lashing her tail in mock hostility. Cloudykit padded passed her brother, disinterested in the twig as she headed toward a shiny, shallow pool that had gathered at the other end of the clearing.

Rain had puddled onto the ground, dimpled with tiny splashes as water drops hit it. Cloudykit could see her reflection in it, bright and rippling. Swatting it, she squealed in alarm to discover how cold it was, sending droplets of water spraying. "It's wet!" Cloudykit exclaimed. It was the most water she had seen in one place. Wrenkit paused his assult on the twig, glancing up, "What is?" He asked, padding over. Cloudykit gestured wildly at the puddle, "This is," She mewed. Mother watched them warmly, settling down to tuck her paws in under her chest on the stump. Wrenkit eyed the puddle with an intense gaze, dipping a paw in and gasping in surprise. Father poked his head out from the camp entrance, calling something to mother. Mother stood, clamouring down the stump to walk to her mate.

Cloudykit did'nt hear what they were saying, turning back to the puddle. It was reflecting the forest canopy, glimpsing the few gray patches of cloud in the sky above them. Wrenkit peered over the edge, his short, stumpy tail curling up, "I look like grandfather." He purred delightedly. Dark brown with black tabby stripes, with a black blotch on his nose, white dash on his chest and all white paws except for one, which was black. Cloudykit let her reflection glint on the puddle. She was black like her mother, with patterns in the same places like her father, on her nose, forelimbs, back paws and tail, but they were all very light gray, not smokey like father. Wrenkit had light green eyes, while Cloudykit saw she had dark blue ones. "Why can't we see the bottom?" She wondered, dabbing the puddle. Wrenkit shrugged, "It's there, just covered up by all that water," He guessed. He distractedly turned away, following an ant that was crawling across the path. Cloudykit gazed at the puddle still. She frowned, seeing a flicker of movement in the reflection of the trees it casted. Glancing up, Cloudykit met the hard, emerald gaze of a figure, high up in the canopy of a tree.

"Come over here." It whispered, gesturing to the trunk with a flick of it's tail. Eyes widening, Cloudykit threw a startled glance at Wrenkit, hissing, "Wrenkit!"

Her brother turned, following her gaze. "Hey!" He squeaked, hurdling over to stand by his sister. The stranger in the tree slid gracefully down to a lower branch, beckoning with it's tail, "Come up here, I need to show you something," It mewed urgently, under it's breath. "Hurry, there is'nt much time before it's gone." The stranger glanced over it's shoulder. Cloudykit exchanged a glance with her brother, who was fluffing up agitatedly, "It might be an intruder!" He gasped. Alarm rose up in Cloudykit. If the stranger saw an intruder, then it was her and her brother's job to the clan to go and investigate. Cloudykit lead the way over to the tree, gazing up at it with Wrenkit beside her. The stranger padded down into the light onto the lowest branch, emerging as a skinny, small gray tabby. "Quickly, there is'nt much time." He whispered, reaching down. Cloudykit was grabbed gently by the scruff, pulled up into the gloomy shadows of the tree. The stranger smelt funny, very unlike the cats she grew up with. He deposited her down on the fork of a branch above them, giving her a relived look, "This will be over before you know it," He promised, turning to grab Wrenkit. Cloudykit watched as her brother was picked up, gently set down beside her by the stranger. He nodded, swiping his tongue over his chest fur. Somehting about him made Cloudykit assume that he was very nervous, on edge. He definately was very ruffled looking, his ears flicking and his fur standing on end.

"Come, I'll show you where to go." He murmured quietly, nosing each kit inspectively, "Are you two fit to travel?" He asked, and Cloudykit and Wrenkit nodded. The stranger's whiskers flicked, "Good, follow me," He instructed, picking his way around the trunk and heading toward the other side. Cloudykit and Wrenkit followed, excitement rising in her chest. They were about to defend their clan, Mother and Father would be so proud of them when they came home.


	2. Chapter One Raven Wing

_**Chapter One**_

Ravenwing pelted down a warn path between rows and rows of conifer and yellow spruce, her chest heaving and her paws drumming against the hard, cold earth. The chilly air seeped beneath her thick fur and made her pads numb, her breath pluming out in small clouds as she dashed up a slope, ducking her head beneath the bowing tunnel of ferns. Slamming to a halt at the top of the slope, the cat stood as tall as she could, her bright, blue eyes scanning the forest. Bathed in the watery glow of late dusk, Ravenwing parted her lips to taste the air, drawing the scents of the ground and grasses nearby to the glands on the roof of her mouth; she ignored the traces of mouse, thrush and rabbit that hit her senses, focusing her attention for any remnants of strange cat smells, or more importantly, the scents of two particular kits she was searching for. Finding none, an uneasy feeling worming in her stomach, she turned and dashed off in the other direction of which she had come, scrabbling down the slope and bunching her hind legs into a tremendous leap, launching herself at full speed. Swerving in and around branches, trees and boulders, Ravenwing climbed the landscape, heaving up over a fallen log and bunching her hind leg muscles to leap over a shallow stream in a single bound, landing with a satisfying thud at the opposite bank. The first stars of Silverpelt were glimmering overhead in the dimming sky, the sun's edge barely visible at the far end of the forest. By the time Ravenwing had slowed her pace, mounting dread had seized her heart, her tail fluffing up behind her. Ravenwing padded up a hill from a dip in the terrain, her eyes dragging to the the forest canopy above. After several long heartbeats of catching her breath, easing the ache in her limbs and pads, gazing around blankly at the towering, drooping forest around her, Ravenwing swallowed back panic, her spine rippling with agitation; where were the kits she was looking for?

Ravenwing turned, slowly stalking down the slope she had come from, trudging back to the river and splashing through it despite how wet it made her legs and belly fur. Ravenwing weaved through the undergrowth, back tracking to the other knoll beyond the fallen log, picking the pace up to a trot as the blanket of night settled over the territory. A nearly half moon shone milky light down on the conifers, spruce and undergrowth, slowly thinning out to cottonwood and elm as Ravenwing headed toward the camp, greeted by two other cats at the boulder and bramble thicket that surrounded their home. Her father, Owlflight , a dark brown tabby with dark amber eyes, looked just as disappointed as her, and her mother, Blueflame, a small, solid gray blue she cat with bright blue eyes, was shaking her head; both looked exhausted, their pelts rumpled and unkempt, with bits of moss and pine needle here and there on their legs and paws. "There's no sign of them, Ravenwing," Owlflight murmured, "I'm so sorry."

"They can't be gone!" Ravenwing protested, the same four words she had said all day, since dawn. It had seemed so long ago, that morning, when she had taken them out of the camp, only a few paw steps outside. It had been raining a little, like it usually would for early New Leaf as if Leaf Bare clung to the territory possessively as long as it could. Ravenwing shook her head, her ears flattening against her head, "they just can't be gone." It only took less then a heart beat, Ravenwing had only taken her eyes off them for a brief moment, then they vanished, with no scent trails, no paw prints, nothing to show where they had gone, or what had happened to them. No predatory bird scent, no fox, no badger, nothing to indicate what had happened to them. They just... disappeared.

"We need to tell Grayheron," Blueflame soothed, padding up to nuzzle Ravenwing's shoulder, "He needs to know." Letting her mother steer her, Ravenwing followed alongside Blueflame with Owlflight trailing behind them through the split in the boulders, canopied by brambles, into the camp inside. The shallow, dipped camp looked vaguely like it had once been a small pond at one time, with a ring of white, speckled, rough, mossy boulders all around it, and scraggly grass growing between the fine, soft pebbles that covered the floor of the camp, and a tangle of bramble bushes also grew between the ring of boulders. Rain puddles were scattered here and there around the camp, and many cats were in small groups, eating the night time meal. Grayheron, a tall light gray, green eyed tom with smoky gray legs, ears, tail and face, was eating with his apprentice, Blazingpaw, a bright orange red tom with baby blue eyes. "Did you find them?" Grayheron asked when he spotted the trio approaching, heaving himself to his paws and trotting over to meet them. Owlflight shook his head, his eyes narrowing. "No," He replied as Ravenwing hurried passed her parents to bury her face in Grayherons shoulder, feeling emotion surge through her like a storm. Grayheron rasped his tongue over the top of her head comfortingly, sitting down to coax Ravenwing into sitting beside him.

"They're gone, this is all your fault, I can't believe their gone," She hissed softly, her eyes clouding and her throat constricting. "They weren't anywhere in the territory." Ravenwing looked up, frustration, anger and dismay swirling in her light, gray blue gaze, her eyes searching Grayherons face. He was older then Ravenwing, by three moons. They were both two winters old, though. A stern look of determination darkened Grayherons expression, and he ran his jaw against her cheek, staring off into space, "Your right," He conceded, but flicked his tail, "We're not giving up this easily, though."

Ravenwing nodded, anxiously working her paws into the ground. Her mate closed his eyes, resting his head on her shoulder, "I'll find them, I promise." He murmured, then turned to look at Ravenwing, "I'll bring Blazingpaw and four other cats."

Ravenwing rasped her tongue over his forehead, "I'll come too."


	3. Chapter Two Spade

_**Chapter Two**_

Grayheron charged down the far end of the territory toward the border, where two-leg place lay beyond, his mate matching his step stride for stride as they lead the patrol onward. Grayheron was the deputy of the clan, and youngest deputy in all four clans at present. Dawnfur, Shrewpelt, Blazingpaw and Silverpaw thundered behind them. During a sweep of the territory a few moments ago, Shrewpelt and Silverpaw had caught strange cat scent, trailing down a tree and then leading toward two-leg place, and then summoned the rest of the searching patrol to investigate. Presently, they were following the trail, the scent of the strange cats growing stronger with every fox length they completed. By the harsh tang that they carried, it was easy to presume that the cats were definitely from two-leg place, and every now and again, Grayheron or Ravenwing would catch a tantalizing glimpse of the two-leg place cats, making hope surge through them like lightning. A white she cat, a skinny brown tabby, a muscular, mottled brown and dull black tom and a wiry, kink furred silver tabby tom with thin, close stripes were all apart of the same group, but it was unclear whether or not they had the kits. Ravenwing's heart faltered when the shrill, high pitched cry of an upset kit pierced the night, and the sound of a harsh, annoyed hiss from one of the toms up ahead. Waves of fury ignited in Ravenwing, her hackles fluffing up as she charged toward the group with her mate falling behind to follow.

The strays had crossed the border by the time the clan cats caught up to them, but before any cat could do anything, the moonlight was obscured by shadow overhead, making the cats freeze. A moment of silence hung in the air as a huge, well muscled, shiny black tom with a white dash on his chest glided over the clearing in a leap from the shadows of the surrounding forest, landing silently in between the clan cats and the stray cats. His bright yellow eyes surveyed the cats around them, briefly catching Ravenwings as he slowly padded in a small circle, sizing up the warriors and strays. When he paused, his hard stare was right on the scrawny, kinky furred silver tabby, who, up close, had a nick in his ear and jade green eyes. The two-leg place tom glared, a fluffy dark gray and white she-kit dangling in his jaws.

"Spade," The big black tom growled, deep from in his throat, "when will you ever stop stealing what was never yours in the first place?" The big black tom scolded, his mew quiet, and icily calm. The agitated looking skinny tabby the black tom called Spade fidgeted, his tail twitching back and forth as he set the kit down in his paws to reply. "My group needs more cats, Blackmoon," He responded, his rasping, condescending mew seemed to claw Ravenwing's ears, and she and the clan cats took a few steps back, ready to charge into attack if either the stray cats or the stranger tom named Blackmoon tried to fight, or flee with the kits. "You of all cats in the alley should know that by now." Spade added, while the white she-cat, who had light blue eyes and black dapples and speckles on her back, and a black ear and left paw, padded up to take the gray and white she-kit, depositing it with the kit's brother, a mottled tan and dark brown tabby kit. "You know this is wrong," Blackmoon growled, the fur on his neck bristling.

"Why is everything I do is a bad thing in your point of view, Hm? Blackmoon?" Spade asked, an edge of resentment in his growl. "Time and time again, every other idea I come up with, you start barging in, messing up my plans," Spade peeled back his lips from his teeth in a snarl, "Just mind your own business for once."  
"I will when you stop harassing innocent cats." Blackmoon responded, swinging his tail and turning his head to address the clan warriors, "This rogue lives with his companions in Two-leg place, and has recently been stealing kits from the clans this last half-moon." He announced, "Only just a few sunrises ago, I had to rescue a kit from Windclan," He turned back to face Spade, his yellow eyes narrowed. "I didn't think he would come here to steal more."

Shrewpelt shifted his paws, his tail tip twitching, "Why should we believe you?" He demanded, "You might be on his side for all we're concerned."

Spade snorted, "Blackmoon is too stupid to be on my side, you mangy twit," He sneered, rolling his eyes. The small, wiry cat paced, his tail lashing, "What is up with _all_ this talking?" Spade scoffed, dropping into a crouch, "Nike, Slab," he addressed the compact brown tabby she-cat and the huge mottled tom behind him, "Distract these weird forest cats while me and Jem take the catch home," he ordered, before hurdling himself at Blackmoon with a ferocious yowl. A flurry of screeching and yowling claws and fur erupted in the night, and Ravenwing pelted after the white she cat as she darted away, careening in an arc around the battle with the kits in tow. Ravenwing was yanked by a pair of clamped jaws on her tail, the earth beneath her paws skidding out from under her. Toppling to one side, Ravenwing's gaze snapped up to see the compact tabby she-cat, Nike. Ravenwing peeled her lips back in a snarl, scowling at the stray's burning amber eyes. "You won't get away with this," Ravenwing growled, clamoring to her feet and rearing up, battering Nike with her forepaw. Ravenwing swiped several blows before Nike lost patience and threw herself at her, clamping her jaws sinking into Ravenwing's scruff; Panic rose in Ravenwing as Nike snaked her forelegs around her shoulders, and Ravenwing twisted around to sink her teeth in Nike's paw.

Hissing in fury, Nike let go and tumbled away, glaring with anger. "Filthy forest cat!" She spat, before scrambling up to her paws and running away. Ravenwing was alert at once, scanning the trees and inhaling deeply to pick up Jem's scent. Looking back, Ravenwing saw that Grayheron and Shrewpelt had drove off Slab, and Silverpaw and Blazingpaw had helped chase Spade away from Blackmoon, who was defending Dawnfur from him. Spade and Slab both bolted away in two directions, and Ravenwing silently followed Spade's tail disappearing between two bushes in the forest undergrowth. A big, black shape trotted passed Ravenwing, and she recognized Blackmoon, his ears pricked. "I'll find your kits," He murmured, glancing over his shoulder, "I promise."

Ravenwing had slowed, swallowing the nothing in her throat as she watched him slip away in the forest, wordlessly. The sound of Grayheron padding up behind her made Ravenwing turn, and she saw the same mistrust reflected in her mate's eyes. "For Starclan's sake," He mewed, furrowing his brow, "I hope he's telling the truth."


	4. Chapter Three Jem

_**Chapter Three**_

Blackmoon tore down the path, his ear stinging and his muzzle battered, brambles and fern whipping at his pelt as he tracked Spade and Jem's scent. The tangled mess of Nike and Slab's flee through the forest could be seen, but the trail where Jem and Spade had fled the battle was less obvious. Where Nike or Slab trampled bracken and ripped through bushes, the path that Jem and Spade took were careful to leave the forest in place. Leaping over patches of fern, slithering under the bows of bramble thickets, the scent trail of the two adult cats and the softly scented smells of their kidnapped kits weaved through the undergrowth with the expertise of someone who did not want to get found. Blackmoon pressed onward, his muzzle to the ground as he sifted through the aromas of the forest.

The grass and trees grew thinner as he approached twoleg place, BrickStone was what the town cats called it. Blackmoon strode quietly out from the forest, padding up onto the hard, hot, slightly sticky substance of the Thunderpath. The scent trails of Nike and Slab both turned toward the upper end of the town, where as Spade and Jem veered to the opposite direction, toward the twoleg bridge over the river. The forest river split somewhere in Riverclan territory, with one of the branches of the river cutting through twoleg place, flowing downstream toward BrickStone. Blackmoon charged down the street and along the scent trail, clouds gathering high overhead and hiding the dimly lit sky. Pools of unnatural light glowed in the sea of gathering darkness, high up in the metal poles that intersected the road, illuminating the Thunderpath. Blackmoon was at one edge of the Thunderpath, keeping behind the white line that decorated it. The prowling monsters never seemed to go passed this border, and more or less ignored creatures that were near it. Jem and Spade's scent trail were growing stronger with every paw step, and as Blackmoon rounded a turn, he caught sight of his two targets, some several fox-lengths ahead.

They were halfway across the bridge, clinging to the low metal fence at one side of it. Jem had the little she-kit's scruff in her jaws, and Spade was nudging the small tom onward. "Stop!" Blackmoon yowled, picking up his pace, "Those kits do not belong to you!"  
Both cats froze, whirling around and dropping into guarding stances, tails lashing. "Just leave us alone," Spade hissed as Blackmoon approached, slowing to a stalk. "I will when you return those kits." Blackmoon growled, halting a few tail lengths away. Jem was glaring at him, setting down the kit she was holding. "We're not going to eat the kits," She snapped, flicking her plumey tail, "We'll take care of them."

"But they don't belong to you," Blackmoon insisted again, his neck fur bristling with frustration. He didn't want to attack, his ear and muzzle still throbbed with pain from the earlier fight, and the kits could get hurt in the process. The kits in question were squirming around, making tiny little mews of protest. The she-kit was staring up at Blackmoon from Jem's paws with wide, frightened eyes. Jem made a furious snarl, taking a step forward to stand over the kit protectively, "I can't have kits on my own," She blurted out accusingly, "You know that, Blackmoon." Jem stared, her tail swishing. Behind her, Spade flinched, his green eyes briefly glancing away. Blackmoon's stomach lurched, a small flash of pity clawing at his heart. She was right, he did know, after several weeks of rescuing kits all over BrickStone, and recently from the clan's forest, he had soon learned why Spade and Jem were trying to steal kits. Jem used to be a kittypet, and her housefolk took her to the cutter, and returned with the inability to bare kits of her own. That was moons ago though, and Blackmoon pushed the feelings of sympathy aside, shaking his head, "That still doesn't make stealing kits right." He replied solemnly, "These kits have a mother and father, and a community of cats that love them."

Spade made a furious hiss of annoyance, rolling his eyes as he curled a paw around the little tom, drawing the kit close, "Honestly Blackmoon," He spat "You're going to make us give up another litter again? This is the longest me and Jem had been parents."

"You're not their parents," Blackmoon growled, his patience slipping. Jem shook her head in protest, backing away and scooping up the kit's scruff in her jaws, "I won't give up this easily." She mumbled around a mouthful of fur, edging backward toward the side of the bridge. Rising alarm began to slither through Blackmoon's fur as he watched Jem with narrowing eyes, taking a few steps toward her and Spade. She glanced at the gap between the metal fence and the Thunderpath, her eyes trailing across the river below while Spade stood his ground, his rancid scent of crowfood and twoleg rubbish burning Blackmoon's nose. "Jem," Blackmoon meowed warningly as the she-cat inched further and further to the edge.

"Don't come any closer," She growled, "Or you might only rescue one living forest kit."


End file.
